Case Study
Sigma Promotions VIP Event Gifting CampaignesBetween 2019 and 2024, I led the Sigma Marketing Pod and owned the planning and execution of Sigma’s VIP client events programs.
The Project
What began as fully virtual experiences during the pandemic evolved into a hybrid model of virtual and in-person events, designed to strengthen client relationships, showcase vendor partnerships, and support measurable post-event sales growth. Across formats, these events combined strategic content, branded experiences, and careful operational planning to turn engagement into business outcomes.
As project owner, I led the events end-to-end, from concept development and leadership proposals to design, logistics, vendor coordination, and post-event sales follow-up. I acted as the central point of coordination between leadership, sales, vendors, production, and marketing, ensuring each event was delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with Sigma’s brand and revenue goals.
Sigma Virtual VIP Events
I led the planning and execution of fully virtual VIP events that combined strategic presentations, vendor expertise, and carefully designed promotional gifts to create meaningful client engagement in a remote setting. Delivered within modest budgets, these events consistently generated strong post-event sales, proving their effectiveness as both relationship-building and revenue-driving initiatives.
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During the pandemic, Sigma needed to maintain strong client relationships without the option of in-person meetings. The challenge was to create virtual events that felt intentional, valuable, and interactive rather than transactional, while operating within tight budgets and coordinating multiple internal and external contributors remotely.
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I led the development of webinar-style VIP events that combined presentations from Sigma team members and invited vendors, focusing on promotional product trends and the strategic use of branded merchandise to strengthen customer relationships, reinforce brand identity, and recognize employees. Each event was supported by a cohesive digital experience that included branded invitations, a dedicated landing page for registration, automated email communications, and carefully designed promotional gifts mailed to attendees.
To ensure a high-quality experience, I collaborated closely with production colleagues on gift sourcing, kitting, and shipping timelines, designing not only the gifts themselves but also the shipping boxes, labels, internal packaging, and overall unboxing experience. I organized rehearsal sessions with vendors and presenters to align on content and technical setup, coordinated event-day roles within the marketing pod, and managed live moderation and Q&A planning.
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Virtual events were delivered within a budget range of approximately CAD 2,000 to 3,500 per event, with a strong emphasis on leveraging existing vendor self-promotional dollars. One month after each event, sales initiated through event engagement ranged from CAD 25,000 to 35,000, validating the effectiveness of these experiences as both relationship-building and revenue-generating initiatives.
Post-event surveys and follow-ups also provided actionable insights for the sales team, and I documented select events as case studies for potential PPPA award submissions.
Sigma In-Person VIP Events
As in-person gatherings resumed after the pandemic, I translated the structure of the virtual program into live experiences that blended thoughtful hospitality, interactive manufacturing activities, and cohesive brand design. These events strengthened client and vendor relationships, deepened product storytelling, and supported high-quality sales conversations beyond the event itself.
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As in-person events resumed, the challenge shifted to translating the structure and strategic intent of the virtual format into physical experiences. These events needed to balance logistics, hospitality, and interactive brand storytelling while coordinating multiple stakeholders, locations, and on-site activities.
As demand for in-person events grew, planning needed to balance logistics, safety regulations, and attendee experience. Venue capacity limits and safety rules required strict control over group sizes, particularly during factory tours, while still ensuring the event felt engaging rather than fragmented. At the same time, the agenda needed to allow space for meaningful client–sales interactions without creating bottlenecks or downtime.
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I applied a planning framework similar to the virtual events, starting with leadership proposals shaped through brainstorming sessions I led within the marketing pod. For in-person experiences, I coordinated closely with senior sales team members and vendor partners to select venues such as manufacturer showrooms and production facilities, including Debco’s Vaughan location.
I designed the full attendee journey, including digital invitations, event landing pages, and registration flows with customized food ordering to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies. Catering formats were adapted to each event, ranging from buffet-style lunches with coffee and tea service to individually prepared lunch boxes and drinks. Branded gifts were presented on site in custom packaging designed to reinforce the event theme and Sigma’s brand values.
To deepen engagement, I worked with manufacturing partners to introduce interactive elements such as live screen printing of event-specific designs on canvas totes and guided factory tours. For events with higher attendance, I structured the agenda into two rotating groups, alternating between the factory tour and showroom trend presentation, with scheduled breaks that ensured compliance with safety requirements while creating natural moments for informal client and sales team interactions.
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In-person events were delivered within project budgets ranging from CAD 5,000 to 7,500, depending on venue and attendee count, and generated between CAD 40,000 and 65,000 in post-event revenue.
The interactive Debco factory tour proved especially popular, resulting in doubled attendee RSVPs.
As senior graphic designer and marketing pod leader at Sigma, I led the planning and execution of several successful in-person and virtual events.
I designed merchandize and packaging to be gifted to the agency’s top clients.
These gifts strengthened the relationship between the sales team and the client and offered a connection point for later reach outs and orders.
Delivered:
VIP event project management
VIP gifts for top clients
Mailer box designs to send across Canada
Promotional product designs for Canada-wide virtual events
Measuring and representing VIP event ROI in case studies for the leadership team
Tools:
Illustrator
Photoshop
InDesign
Canva